Exodus at a Glance

This book describes Israel’s terrible bondage in Egypt, its supernatural deliverance by God, its journey from the Red Sea to the base of Mt. Sinai as led by Moses, the giving of the Law, the terrible sin of worshiping the golden calf, and the completion of the Tabernacle.

Bottom Line Introduction

HOW ODD OF GOD TO CHOOSE THE JEWS! THE STORY OF HOW HE SELECTED THEM PROTECTED THEM, AND DIRECTED THEM.

Facts Regarding the Authors of this Book

1. Who? Moses. He was the younger brother of Aaron and Miriam (Ex. 6:20; Num. 26:59) who led his people Israel out of Egyptian bondage (Ex. 5-14) and gave them the law of God at Mt. Sinai (Ex. 20).

2. What? That books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

3. When and Where? 1405 B.C., from the eastern bank of the River Jordan in Moab.

4. Why?

a. Genesis. To record the origin of the world and the nation Israel.

b. Exodus. The supernatural deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage.

c. Leviticus. The purpose and functions of the tabernacle.

d. Numbers. The failure of Israel to enter Canaan.

e. Deuteronomy. The review of the Law for that generation about to enter Canaan.

5. To whom? Israel in particular, all believers in general.

Key Events

1. Israel’s enslavement in Egypt

2. The birth of Moses

3. The call of Moses

4. The beginning of the ten plagues

5. Final plagues (death of first born) and institution of the Passover

6. Appearance of the divine cloud and pillar

7. The Red Sea crossing

8. Giving of the manna and institution of the Sabbath

9. Water from a rock and Moses’ prayer for victory

10. Giving of the Ten Commandments

11. The divine order to build the Tabernacle

12. Worship of the golden calf

13. Moses views God’s glory

14. Completion of the Tabernacle

Key Individuals

1. Pharaoh: who attempted to kill all Israelite male babies

2. Moses: Israel's great lawgiver

3. Miriam: Moses' older sister

4. Pharaoh’s daughter: the person who rescued and raised the baby Moses

5. Jethro, (also called Reuel): Moses father-in-law

6. Zipporah: Moses' wife

7. Gershom and Eliezer: Moses' two sons

8. Aaron: Moses' older brother and Israel's first high priest

9. Joshua: great military leader under Moses

10. Hur: thought to be the husband of Miriam and brother-in-law of Moses

Key Places

1. Land of Midian: place where Moses found refuge after fleeing from Egypt

2. A well in Midian: where Moses met his future wife, Zipporah

3. Mt. Horeb: where God spoke to Moses from a burning bush

4. Nile River: Egyptian river turned into blood by Moses and Aaron

5. Red Sea: body of water rolled back by God to save His people from the Egyptian army

6. Marah: place where God purified some bitter waters for Israel to drink

7. Elim: place where Israel found twelve springs and seventy palm trees

8. Rephidim: place near Mt. Sinai where Moses struck the rock and obtained water for the thirsty Israelites. Also the place where Joshua defeated the Amalekites

9. Mt. Sinai: where God gave Israel the Law and blueprints for the Tabernacle

10. Base of Mt. Sinai: where the golden calf sin occurred, where the Tabernacle was built, and the first census was taken

Unique Features

1. With the possible exception of the Book of Revelation, Exodus has more miracles in it than any other book in the Bible. Not counting the ten plagues, there are no less than 18 specific supernatural acts.

Divine Miracles

• Burning bush (3:2)

• Staff turns into a serpent (4:3)

• Serpent turns into a staff (4:4)

• A hand turns leprous (4:6)

• Leprous hand becomes clean (4:7)

• Staff turns into a serpent (second time) (7:10)

• Aaron’s staff swallows up Egyptian serpents (7:12)

• The fiery and cloudy pillar (13:21)

• The Red Sea crossing (14:21-22)

• Waters of Marah made sweet (15:25)

• Giving of manna (16:14)

• Water from the rock (17:6)

• Mt. Sinai on fire (19:18-19)

• Writing of Ten Commandments by finger of God (31:18)

• Moses’ face glows (34:29)

Demonic miracles

• Staff becomes a serpent (7:11)

• Waters into blood (7:20)

• Appearance of frogs (8:7)

2. In fact the greatest O.T. miracle (apart from creation itself and the Great Flood) occurs in Exodus – the Red Sea crossing (14).

3. The most important building ever constructed is completed in Exodus (40).

4. This was done to provide forgiveness for Israel, following her first great national sin, i.e., the worship of the Golden Calf (32).

5. Other firsts in Exodus would include:

• First reference to Moses and Joshua (2:10; 17:9)

• First reference to God as the mighty I AM (3:14), and Jehovah-NISSI (17:15)

• Institution of the Passover and its first observation (12)

• First appearance of the Glory Cloud and Fiery Pillar (13:21, 22)

• Scripture’s first song (15:1-21)

• Institution of the Sabbath (16:23-30)

6. The most important and far-reaching ten laws ever given to mankind (20:1-17).

7. For the first time in human history, God allows men to see glimpses of his glory all carefully recorded in Exodus. It is viewed in the desert (3:2-6), on a mountain (19:16-19; 24:9-10; 33:18-23; 34:4-8; 29-35) and in the Tabernacle (40:34-38).

8. The first two official anti-Semitic persecutions leveled against Israel by another nation occur in Exodus. Egypt was that nation.

• First persecution: an attempt to kill Israelite male babies (ch. 1).

• Second persecution: an attempt to slaughter the entire nation in the Sinai desert (ch. 14).

9. In essence, the book of Exodus is Israel’s Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence, and Constitution. It is the beginning of her sacred calendar (12:2).

10. Exodus records the beginning of Israel’s long march toward Canaan. It took God only one night to get his people out of Egypt, but nearly 40 years to get Egypt out of His people.

11. In Scripture there are four key periods which witnessed the outpouring of many miracles. Exodus marks the beginning of the first period.

• First period: accomplished in the days of Moses and Joshua.

• Second period: accomplished in the days of Elijah and Elisha.

• Third period: accomplished in the days of Daniel and Ezekiel.

• Fourth period: accomplished in the days of Christ and his apostles.

Comparison with Other Bible Books

Leviticus:

1. Exodus shows how God got his people out of Egypt. Leviticus shows how he tried to get Egypt out of his people.

2. Exodus relates to Leviticus as the Gospels do to the Epistles in the New Testament:

• Exodus, Gospels: manifestation of the Passover Lamb; Leviticus, Epistles: our approach to God.

• Exodus, Gospels: God’s approach to us; Leviticus, Epistles: our approach to God.

3. In Exodus God is the Savior; in Leviticus he is the Sanctifier.

4. In Exodus he spoke from Sinai; in Leviticus he spoke from the sanctuary.

5. Exodus introduces leaven as one of the two great Old Testament symbols for sin (12:15-20). Leviticus introduces the second such symbol: leprosy (Lev. 13-14).

Titles for and Types of Jesus

1. The Angel of the Lord (3:2)

2. I Am that I Am (3:14)

3. Passover Lamb (12:3). See also 1 Cor. 5:7

4. The Manna (16:14, 15). See also Jn. 6:48-51

5. The Rock at Rephidim (17:1-6). See also 1 Cor. 10:4.

6. The God of Israel (24:10)

7. The Lampstand (37:17). See also Jn. 1:4-9; 9:5.

8. The Mercy Seat (25:17). See also 1 Jn. 2:2.

9. The Bronze Altar (38:1). See also Heb. 13:10-12.

10. The Bronze Laver (38:8). See also 1 Jn. 1:9.